The Lion King Reborn
The Lion King: The Special Edition Cut is an upcoming American 2018 film distributed by Disney, released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, and directed by Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff, Darrell Rooney, Rob LaDuca, and Bradley Raymond. The film is expected to have the films The Lion King, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, The Lion King 1 1/2, and the show The Lion King's Timon and Pumbaa so it can tell the whole story. Featuring songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, the film features an ensemble voice cast starring Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, Moira Kelly, James Earl Jones, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, and Matt Weinberg. The film also marks the last film appearance of Robert Guillaume who died in October 2017 as the film dedicates his memory. It is scheduled to be released in 2018 sometime. Premise A lion cub named Simba is born to be King of Pride Rock. But suddenly, he gets banished by his uncle Scar after killing his brother and Simba's father Mufasa in a wildebeest stampede and takes over the throne. To get back to his home to be King, Simba will need help from his former friend Nala, his new friends Timon and Pumbaa, his shaman, Rafiki, and to learn about his past. Cast * Matthew Broderick as Simba, Mufasa's son, Nala's husband who grows up to be the King of Pride Rock. Joseph Williams and Cam Clarke provide the singing voice of Simba. Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Matt Weinberg voice Simba as a cub, while Weinberg, Jason Weaver and Evan Saucedo voicing the cub's singing voice. * Jeremy Irons as Scar, Mufasa's mischievous younger brother and Simba's uncle who seeks to take the throne. * Moira Kelly as Nala, Simba's best friend later former wife as the Queen of Pride Rock. Sally Dworsky provides the singing voice of Nala. Niketa Calame voices Nala as a cub, while Laura Williams provided her singing voice. * James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Simba's father and the previous King of Pride Rock. * Nathan Lane as Timon, a wise-cracking and self-absorbed yet somewhat loyal meerkat who becomes one of Simba's best friends and adoptive parents. * Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa, a naïve warthog who suffers from flatulence and is Timon's best friend and also becomes one of Simba's best friends and adoptive parents. * Rowan Atkinson and Edward Hibbert as Zazu, a hornbill who is the Mufasa's, later Simba's majordomo. * Robert Guillaume as Rafiki, a wise old mandrill and the shaman of Pride Rock who presents the new King and Queen to the animals. He is also the narrator of the film. This marks the last film appearance of Guillaume who died in October 2017. * Madge Sinclair as Sarabi, Simba's mother, Mufasa's wife, Kiara's grandmother and the previous Queen of Pride Rock. * Jason Marsden as Kovu, the younger son of Zira who later becomes Kiara's husband. Ryan O'Donohue voices Kovu as a cub. * Neve Campbell as Kiara, Simba and Nala's daughter and the Princess of Pride Rock. Michelle Horn voices Kiara as a cub, while Charity Sanoy provides her singing voice and Ashley Edner provides her lion growls. * Andy Dick as Nuka, the older son of Zira who is the brother of Kovu and Vitani. * Julie Kavner as Ma, Timon's caring mother who is overly protective and attached to her son, often trying to get him accepted amongst the colony, but never succeeding. * Jerry Stiller as Uncle Max, Timon's paranoid, eccentric but deep down kind-hearted uncle. * Jason Rudofsky as Flinchy, a member in Timon's colony. * Jennifer Lien as Vitani, the daughter of Zira and the sister of Kovu and Nuka. Lacey Chabert voices Vitani as a cub, while Crysta Macalush provides her singing voice. * Corey Burton as Quint, a muscular Safari hunter who allies with Scar and Zira to seek revenge on Simba, Timon and Pumbaa. * Jim Cummings, Whoopi Goldberg and Cheech Marin as Azazi, Shenzi and Kamari, three spotted hyenas who serve as the predators in Timon's colony before serving as the henchmen for Scar. ** Cummings also voices a mole that talks with Zazu and makes a guest appearance as Scar during "Be Prepared" and Simba's nightmare after Irons blew his voice. * Suzanne Pleshette as Zira, the mother of Kovu, Nuka and Vitani, Scar's late widow and the leader of exiled lion groups named "Outsiders". Additionally, Zoe Leader voices Sarafina, Nala's mother and a close friend of Sarabi. Frank Welker and Tara Strong voice Leopold and Claudia, the King and Princess of the leopards. The meerkats in Timon's colony includes: director Bradley Raymond as Fearless Buzz; Jeff Bennett as Iron Joe; and S. Scott Bullock as Fred. Nancy Cartwright has a supporting role as Pumbaa Jr., a crocodile who Pumbaa thinks is a warthog. Release The film is expected to be release sometime in 2018. It was originally planned to be released in summer of 2017.